Banquet cameras

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Enjoy!

Banquet Camera: The Early-1900s Tool for Photographing Large Groups

Photographer Peter Gruber may be one of the last (if not the last) photographer still using the 100-year-old, 12x20-inch banquet camera.

petapixel.com

 

[Jay Schrotenboer]

Thank you for that article. I enjoyed reading it.

 

[Don_ih]

Hopefully the article drums up some more business for him. I'm certain more people would want it if they knew how good it is (or knew about it at all).

 

[markjwyatt]

I have one (banquet photo) from my deceased aunt- 1947 General Petroleum Girls Club 10th Anniversary Meeting in 1947. GP became Mobil Oil later. It was done by the Miles F. Weaver Studio (run by his family after he passed) in Los Angeles.

 

[AnselMortensen]

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has banquet photos of all the drivers and crews of the Indy 500 lined up on the start/finish line from various years in the 19-'teens, '20's and into the '30's.

 

[doughowk]

I have a 7X17 Korona Panorama camera which according to the article qualifies as banquet too. May be useful for an upcoming family reunion.

 

[jeffreyg]

Thaddeus Holownia at Mount Allison University in Sackville New Brunswick, Canada has worked extensively with a banquet camera.

ABOUT | JEFFREY GLASSER

HOME | SCULPTURE and PHOTOGRAPHY

 

[foc]

Very interesting. The lighting with flash bulbs is the key and the tilt and stopped down lens.

Getting everyone looking the right direction and to be seen (not hiding behind someone or just eyes showing) can be a challenge. Also getting the group to be quiet and to listen to the instruction can be a skill in itself. The fact the photographer's head, face and eyes can be seen (above or beside) the camera helps.

 

[gone]

After photographing enough cats to make 3 books, he's probably ready for a shrink. That probably made the banquet photo gigs seem like a vacation.

No! Stop it! Get your claws out of the model's dress, and I mean right now! Ouch!

 

[PrairiePhotographer]

Fascinating. It’s another example of the many and varied ways that photography enriches lives and records moments, places, etc.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I got to use my 5x12 at Photostock this summer for that very purpose- the group photo. I could have stood to have some kind of fill flash, but given the circumstances, well... It sure beats trying to identify 50 different faces on a 35mm photo.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Great story! thanks for sharing

 

[PhotoPham]

thank you for sharing, looks so fun to use!

 

[guangong]

I have a banquet picture taken at dance party i attended given by city’s bakers’ union in mid 1950s. In those days the union local was mostly German speaking.